The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-06-16

at the last yearly meeting, held in No
vember, and the preachers at that
meeting spoke words that sounded
harshly in our untutored ears. Young
women hummed warlike airs. and were
eager to catch the latest refrain.
I remember how the crimson deep
ened on Cousin Sues brown cheek
when she ratified off:
Huzza! Huzza! for the bonnie blue flag so
dear,
Huzzal for the sword and plume that South
ern soldiers wear!
At the first frolic the fiddler wore
red feather in his hat and played
s.Dixie."
Men talked and women. sang, and
the warm blood ran riot in the South
ern veins. .'On to war, % 20, Johnnie,
aire you boun' to be q soldier?"
Your waist it is too slender,
Your hands, they are too small,
And your cheeks too red and rosy,
To face cannon ball
And sing O-and sing o.
Sure you will, my dearl
One wintry night the northern sky
burst into deep crimson, and we
knew that the supernatural flame of
aurora borealis was burning on the
brow of heaven. Doc said that was
the sign of war. Everything was the
sign of war. We had noticed the omi-i
nous ..W" on the back of the locusts in
the early autumn. Captain Jack
Rainey had muster every week, and
the tramp, tramp, tramp OF gathering
squadrons shattered the slumberous
depths of the barrens,
/ knew that Doc had met Lucy Pax
ton at the frolic, and knew that he
bad followed her every movement with
a fascinated gaze. She was not grown
up, but she was "most grown they
all said. She was 13, and the young
men chose her for partner when they
played ''all around the merry pole, !"
and Doc sat and watched her.
These were stirring times. Men and
women shattered the fetters of con-
ventionality and grew from boys to
men and from girls to women with
marvellous rapidity.
At a candy-pulling Doc pulled candy
with her. The way of it was that they
all played lonesome" and they needed
one more to be the lonesome one"
and he was induced. much against his
will, to join. His success emboldened
him. and so the boy and the girl pulled
candy, and both were so painfully
conscious of their own youthfulness
that they pulled in silence.
Lucy's brother John was nearly 18.
He was dutifal boy and his mother
was widow. He worked for her and
for Lucy and they lived well.
Again spring gladdened the earth
with her spfritnelle beauty. But there
was not as much boisterousness at the
annual ''log-rolling" as usual. In fact,
there were very few log-rollings.
Mothers and daughters and younger
sons pulled the fallen trees together
the best they could and burned them.
Women in big sunbonnets, kept from
Hopping over their eyes by wooden
''splits" inserted in the crown, grasped
the plowhandles, while '.tucking
strings" girded about their waists kept
the skirts from trailing in the dirt.
All, they were made OF superior met
tie, these women of the barrens were.
That spring we had to work a great
deal harder and had less time for fish
ing than before. Doc helped US. He
was Industrious, though still weak
ling compared with other lads.
The first time / saw him twirl a
strand of golden love vine over his
head and cast it on the bushes / was
amused. Doc told me that he had
named it Lucy Paxton" and if it
grew he would know that she loved
him, and if not he would be disap-
pointed. He was getting too deep for
our philosophy then.
A whole year rolled away, and ON
the next spring saw that the love vine
reappeared and grew on the bushes.
Doc saw it too, and he was pleased
greatly pleased. He was not an ar
dent lover. He worshipped at dis
tance. The young fellows who came
home on furloughs were very gallant
and deferential toward Lucy. This
must have worried Doc, but he never
gave any sign.
Then came that call for men; that
plucking of the very flower of South
ern chiyalry. 0, remorseless wari
John Paxton was IS, and he must go
to the war and leave his mother and
Lucy to fight the harder battle at home
The s'enrolling officer" that agent of
war whose approach was dreaded SO
much, he told us that
When he left Doc followed him out
to the gate. After short talk the
officer departed after shaking Doc by
the hand.
1--we learned somethin'," he said,
with radiant face, when he came
back. 1.-The enrolling officer says that
John can stay at home if he can get
substitute. Pm gw1ne to be his SUBJ
stitute."
Of course John Paxton did not want
to agree to the proposition. 1t looked
III M a n 70 for
little fellow like Doc. But the latter
argued, Il amt got nobody to keer
for, an if git hurt nobody'n be the
loser. You've got Mis- Paxton and
and-Lucy," he stammered, ''an' you
ought to stay an make the crap. Be-
sides, want to git to be big Gener'1
some time, maybe. an then Tll-Ill-
well, L want to go, anyhow, an I'm
gwine as your substitute" And he
went.
Poor little Doc! Friend and play
mate of our childhood. His delicate
form that had been so nourished and
cherished by his doting mother-and
our mother had loved him as one of
her own-when they brought him
home, wasted with privation and hard
ship, and the hectic fever burned ON
his cheeks, he looked very much like
our little old Doc. 1t was springtime
again then. There was a lull in the
wild tempest of war. Bronzed and
bearded our heroes came home.
Bowed with defeat, tattered and torn,
ragged veterans of hundred battles.
There were so many heroic deeds that
the recital of daring achievements
grew commonplace. They did not
like to talk about it. Our Doe had
been every inch soldier. He had ae-
quilted himself nobly. He was going
to die, as SO many stronger men had
died, without a stain ON his fair es-
cutcheon. 1t was Lucy Paxton's hand
that plucked the sweet bouquets which
found their way to his feeble hands.
1t was her mother who sat with our
mother and counted the pulse beats of
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